title: A lower antral follicle count is associated with infertility.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether infertile women have lower antral follicle counts (AFC) than age-matched normal women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case-control.
  
  
  METHODS
  Academic center.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 881 infertile women and 771 women from the community.
  
  
  METHODS
  Antral follicle count and basal hormone measurements.
  
  
  METHODS
  Median AFCs and FSH levels were compared between the two groups within 5-year age strata by using the median test. A subanalysis was performed by identifying women in the control group with a history of attempting conception without success (subfertile group) and with a spontaneous conception in fewer than 12 months resulting in a live birth (fertile group). Age-specific AFC percentiles were calculated and compared within strata determined by age at the time of attempted conception.
  
  
  RESULTS
  AFCs were significantly lower in infertile women than in control women across age groups up to 40 years of age. Average FSH levels were significantly higher in the younger-age infertile group versus the community. AFC percentiles differ significantly between fertile and subfertile women within the community up to 40 years of age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Decreased AFC in infertile women suggests that factors affecting the size of the remaining follicle pool in younger women also affect oocyte quality and the likelihood of conception.
authors.affiliation: Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences: University of California, San Francisco, California 94115, USA. rosenm@obgyn.ucsf.edu
authors.forename: Mitchell P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Rosen
authors.forename: Erica
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Johnstone
authors.forename: Carolyne
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Addauan-Andersen
authors.forename: Marcelle I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Cedars
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002452:Cell Count; D015536:Down-Regulation; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000473:pathology*; D017584:Reproductive History
chemical_list: D004958:Estradiol; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone